Chapter 34

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Stunned I take a few wobbly steps back. My confusion turns to anger as I mentally connect the dots.

"You!" I manage to choke out. Ryan cocks his head to the side confused. "You! Why would you do this?" I shout.

"I'm sorry for running away. When you saw me I thought you would be mad-"

"Damn right I'm mad! What kind of sicko are you leaving me death threats?"

"What?"

"Ryan I swear, I will slap you if you play dumb one more time. Did you write it because I didn't except your apology? Because your trying to get back at Drew in some twisted way?"

"Ashley I honestly have no idea what your talking about."

I do it. I slap him across the face leaving my hand stinting. It's worth it though because his cheek blazes red.

"What the hell!" Ryan shouts, eyes blazing.

"I'm done with your games Ryan. You played dumb at the movie theater and you're playing dumb now but this time I won't fall for it!" I spit out and turn to leave the bathroom but Ryan catches my arm.

"Let go." I growl.

"I'm just going to say this than you can go on your angry little way. I did not, and I swear, write whatever notes you're talking." I scoff to that. "But, the only reason I was over by your locker earlier was because I was coming to apologize about the movie thing since you've been doing such a good job at ignoring me. I honestly feel so terrible about the whole thing and want to maybe be friends if you would allow it." I study his face and refrain myself from slapping his face again about the friend thing.

"Let's get one thing straight." I say putting up a one with my finger. "We will never be friends. Second," I say letting out a shaky sigh. "You honestly had nothing to do with the notes?"

"No, I have no idea what they are or-"

"How do you expect me to know your not lying?"

He thinks for a moment. "You can take my word."

I roll my eyes. "Kinda hard to do that, don't you think?"

Ryan rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, it is. But I want to earn it. Let me help you find who wrote these.. um death threats."

I hold my hand to his face. "No, I don't want your help. For all I know your only offering help so I'm not sniffing your trail." I say. Ryan nods in understanding, sad eyes downcast. "I have to go." I sigh opening the door.

"I will make it up to you!" Ryan calls.

I don't bother responding as the door slams closed.

"That son-of-a-bitch!" Yasmine tells, causing students in the library to look over at us. Yasmine's face turns slightly red, which is somewhat hard to see with her olive complexion.

"Wait, did Yasmine just swear?" Quinn mocks surprise causing Yasmine to roll her eyes. "Well I don't believe him either." Quinn states matter a factly.

"If not him who than? Drew?" I ask.

"Do you honestly think it was me Barbie?" A voice asks behind me. I turn in my seat to a smirking Drew holding a lunch tray. "I was looking for you in the lunch room but than remembered that you wouldn't be there, so here I am." He says taking a seat next to me.

I share a look with Quinn who wiggles her eyebrows at me. "You were looking for me?"

"Don't flatter yourself. It was just to work on finding who's writing the notes." Drew says biting into his hot dog. I nod in understanding mad at Quinn for making me think otherwise.

"Have you told him about Ryan yet?" Yasmine asks nonchalantly, but I widen my eyes at her. I actually wasn't planning on telling him about Ryan because all it would do is cause Drew to get upset.

"What about Ryan?" Drew mutters, obviously upset.

"Nothing really." I say slowly, but Quinn continues.

"Oh my gosh! So Ash and I got another letter and we were reading it than bam! Ryan is behind us and we start running but I fall down and Ash keeps going than she told me she cornered him in the bathroom..." Drew's eyes widen and slide over to mine. I offer a sorry look, but he doesn't even crack a smile. "... and he was like I didn't write it and all I'm sorry about the paperazzi and this is the best part, Ashley slapped him!" That earns a smirk from Drew.

"Really?" He asks surprised. I nod, as he offers a high five. "Nice! So that's all that happened?"

I shrug. "Pretty much. I don't know if I belive him or not. He has a motive and I have no idea who else would have written it."

"Well of coarse he did!" Drew shouts. "I should have known from the beginning."

"I don't know though." Quinn whispers. We all look at her confused. "I mean I hate the guy but don't you think like Caitlyn he likes more of a direct approach like at the party. And he hates Drew, not Ashley so why would Ashley be getting the threats? And he did seem pretty sorry. I mean he's apologized now like three times."

I grab at my curled hair in frustration and let out a groan. Why does this all have to be so complicated? Why is someone so eager on hurting me?

"Ash." Yasmine says worried.

"What?"

"Your crying." I touch my cheeks and sure enough my finger leaves moist.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to start crying. I'm not upset or anything. I'm not upset" For some reason I feel like I have to say it twice. If it was to reassure me or them, I'm not sure.

"Of coarse you are. Who wouldn't be in a time like this. Hell, I'm upset!" Yasmine slams her hand on the table.

"I am too!" Quinn follows soot as Yasmine.

"You're damn right I am too!" Drew agrees. I can't help but laugh at my group of friends. It makes me feel good that I at least have a small group of people that care about my well being and want to be just my friends; not friends with benefits.

All sexual references aside.

"I still feel bad about taking pictures of a funeral." I say from my bed. Drew looks up to me from my desk and shrugs.

"Eh, as long as they didn't see its fine." Drew and I spent the rest of the day after his football practice finishing getting our pictures for the project.

"I can't believe it's already due tomorrow. Three weeks went by quickly." I say staring at the ceiling.

"Yeah. Come over here, I'm done editing." I slip off my bed and crawl over to my desk.

Drew gives me a curious look. "What are you doing?" I shrug once I reach his laptop.

"I don't know."

"Your a strange one." Drew mutters. "Anyways, here you go." He opens up the presentation as I hop onto my rolly chair with Drew, making him scootch over.

The first few pictures are ones I've already seen: the ocean and city, the couple on the beach and the couple eating ice cream. As we get closer to the end I see the pictures I took of the crowd from when Drew was rapping, we paired those with the sad pictures from the funeral. Next was a girl dancing from Quinn's performance, which we paired with a hip hip dancer.

I count on my fingers as we go and only land with eighteen. "Drew, we forget two pictures. You know what? I don't even care, we're turning it in like this."

"I didn't say that was the end."Drew says mysteriously. I don't know what he's talking about because I don't remember taking any more pictures than the one's I already saw. He taps the next button and I'm shocked to see it's a picture of me. I don't recognize it right away but than I remember it's from out very first photo sesh. I'm glaring at the camera, not a spark of happiness in it. Not only do I look mad, I look sad.

"Why.. why did you use this?" I ask hoarsely.

"Because of this." He taps the forward button and a new picture comes up of me with my head back in laughter, smiling from ear to ear.

"When did you take that?" I ask.

"The other day with Kora. I thought it would be a good idea to use a before and after picture of you. You're a lot happier now, you smile a lot. It's like picture perfect."

I wanted to see if under that rough exterior you had a smile.

Ryan's words hit me suddenly. "Did I really not smile?"

"Um, not really. I just think it's nice to see you happy. Well I mean before this asswhole decided to start threatening you that is." I nod and start playing with the hem of my shirt. "What's wrong?" Drew asks worriedly. Suddenly made aware of the lack of space between us I stand and go back over to my bed.

"Nothing." He gives me a look. "Okay fine. Ah, well the thing was I have started to feel happier. I mean I've kinda slowed down the amount of times I throw up in a day and stuff. But when these notes started coming, I don't know. I'm starting to feel again like I don't have the right to be happy. It's either the media or people or my body weighing me down when I'm trying so hard to stay afloat. And you know what? It's frustrating! I can't even have a boyfriend without him turning me into a pawn for fame. I can't walk down the hall without girls running to me acting like we're best friends. Why do you think Yas and Quinn are my only friends?"

"I'm your friend." Drew insists, taking two strides to get to me. "When I look at you I don't see a girl who I can use, I see a girl who I want to genuinely hang out with. Your funny and smart and are a hella great singer. Ashley, I've told you things I rarely share with people. I have spent countless hours with you, listening to you. I would never try to hurt you but sometimes you just have to trust people, to let them in."

Maybe you need to give someone a foot before you can give them a yard. Elise's words hit me then.

"I feel like I've given you a mile." I whisper.

"What?" Drew asks, serious face forming into one of amusement. He's so close all of a sudden. My eyes flicker to his lips, Drew doing the same. I think of the first kiss we had. How scared I was of falling for someone. Scared of having my heart ripped out yet again. I was scared, I still am. I want to believe Drew will never hurt me but I can't. Drew hesitantly leans in.

Never again, never again, never again.

"I'm sorry." I whisper within centimeters of his lips. I pull away and stare at the floor. Drew steps back too. When I do look up he's looking as confused and flustered as I feel.

"I'll just uh.. send this to Mrs. Smith and uh... go.. I have this thing and.. uh yeah."

Once Drew's gone I plop into my bed shaking all over. What have I done?

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net